1. Find out if the person can agree to treatment
Question & Answer
How do I make health-care decisions for someone?You decide about treatment only if the person is not of deciding.
Being mentally capable
To be mentally capable, the person must be able to understand the information that's needed to make the decision, such as:
- how the treatment may help them
- the risks and side effects of the treatment
- what's likely to happen if they do not get it
A person can be capable of making decisions about some treatments but not others.
As well, they might be capable one day but not another day. For example, they might go into a coma or start taking medication that affects their thinking.
Deciding if someone is mentally capable
The doctor or must decide if the person is able to give to the treatment. You do not decide this. They must do this before starting the treatment, unless it's an emergency.
When you act as a substitute decision-maker
The doctor or health-care provider must ask you to agree before they start the treatment if:
- they decide that the person does not have mental capacity, and
- it's not an emergency.
